Latest technologies as allies of animal welfare and biosecurity

Having well-equipped facilities at a technological level, quality materials and equipment, is of great importance to guarantee good levels of biosafety and animal welfare. Under this premise, the ‘Clot de la Boira’ farm was designed, a PIC genetics multiplier farm located in Òs de Balaguer (Lleida), which will house up to 400 sows. 

THE FARM

The new facilities are equipped with 108 farrowing houses, divided into six rooms with 18 farrowing quarters in each; four weaning rooms; 200 places in mating-control boxes and 156 confirmed gestation places distributed in twelve pens. The farm is complemented by a rearing facility with up to 900 stalls. These facilities are expected to operate in three week stretches, and four people to work there.

FARROWING

The farrowing stalls’ proportions are 1.90 x 2.60 m, and their main feature is that they have been equipped with Rotecna's electronic feeding system for farrowing sows, the Dositronic M. This system provides great control over the consumption of the sow since it allows one to control what it eats in a very precise way. In addition, it has a sensor that allows the animal to self-regulate its feed consumption. In this way, the sow can increase its feed consumption, and in doing so also increases its milk production, which contributes to the piglet having a greater weight at weaning. At the same time, the use of Dositronic M helps the sow not to lose bodily condition, thus favouring the prolificacy of the animal for the next birth. 

In addition to the Dositronic M, the farrowing stalls also have feed distribution lines, the Four dispenser, and Rotecna slats, which provide comfort to the sow, and drinkers for piglets, to which piglets adapt very easily. 

Farrowing with the Dositronic M electronic feeding system installed. Photo: Rotecna.

MATING-CONTROL AND GESTATION

The 200 boxes in the mating-control area have been equipped with the Dosimatic dispenser, which stands out for its regulation simplicity and its handling ease. On the other hand, the Dositronic G has been installed in the gestation area, the electronic feeding system for pregnant sows housed in a group, which allows each animal to be fed individually in a controlled manner, according to their needs. The system consists of a box that the sows can access without competing with each other and, once inside, they are identified thanks to the chip they have on their ear. In this way, the system offers the amount of food that corresponds to each one depending on the feeding curve they have been assigned. Thus, the system manages to reduce feed waste and improve the animals’ body condition upon arrival at the farrowing hospital. 

On the other hand, the gestation areas of the farm have installed Rotecna polypropylene panels, which provide great resistance and are very easy to clean, something important when the objective is to achieve a high degree of biosecurity. 

Gestation pens have the Dositronic G system. Photo: Rotecna.

REARING AND WEANING

The rearing pens have dimensions of 3x3 m and, like gestation, have polypropylene separators. In addition, each pen has the Grow Feeder hopper and a separate drinking fountain. Each of the pens is expected to house ten animals. 

On the other hand, weaning has been equipped with PVC separations, also very easy to clean; the TR5 hopper, dry feed and with five mouths; Rotecna plastic floors; and enrichment material such as the anti-stress chain. In this case, the pens are designed to accommodate between 25 and 30 animals each. 

Weaning room equipped with the Rotecna TR5 feeder. Photo: Rotecna.

BIOSAFETY

The design of the ‘Clot de la Boira’ farm has, as its main objective, to establish a high bio-sanitary status in all its facilities. In this sense, it has been decided to apply all kinds of internal and external biosecurity measures, such as training employees in health-related aspects, transport access control, a disinfection arch for the entry of vehicles, the entry of consumables for the farm in differentiated steps, etc.